Anchoring Furniture to Drywall

by Josh Arnold

If you live in an area that experiences earthquakes or if you have small children, anchoring furniture to the wall is an important safety precaution. When attaching furniture to drywall, a toggle bolt is your best option. Toggle bolts have the best holding power compared to other anchoring systems since the arms of the toggle sit behind the wall. For convenience, look for toggle bolts with self-drilling and threading capabilities. These features allow you to set the toggle bolt into the wall using only a screwdriver. Another added bonus is the removable screw fastener at the center of each toggle. Unlike regular toggles that you can only use once, self-drilling toggles allow you to remove and replace the screw over and over, which will come in handy when moving furniture.

1 Place the furniture item next to the wall you're securing it to. Place a mark on the wall and the piece of furniture for each anchoring device you're using. Pull the piece of furniture away from the wall for easier accessibility.

2 Place the tip of the self-drilling toggle bolt on the wall mark. Thread the toggle bolt into the wall with the help of a Phillips screwdriver. Stop threading once the head is flush to the drywall surface.

3 Find the mark on the piece of furniture. Place the anchoring device, either a nylon strap or metal angle bracket, onto the mark and secure it into place with the screw fasteners. Make sure the angle bracket arm is installed so it will make contact with the toggle bolt in the wall.

4 Put the piece of furniture next to the wall and line up the anchoring device to the installed toggle bolt. Fasten the anchoring device, either a nylon strap or angle bracket, to the imbedded toggle bolt with the screw fastener that was included. Repeat the process for additional furniture fasteners if applicable.

5 Give the furniture piece a gentle tug to make sure the anchoring system is secure.